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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 19, 2021

 

 

STERLING BANCORP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)  

 

 

Michigan   001-38290   38-3163775

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File No.)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

One Towne Square, Suite 1900

Southfield, Michigan 48076

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (248) 355-2400 

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each
class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which
registered
Common Stock SBT Nasdaq Capital Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company x

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. x

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

 

On March 19, 2021, Sterling Bank and Trust, FSB, the wholly-owned banking subsidiary of Sterling Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”), entered into an agreement with First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Port Angeles, a Washington state chartered bank, to sell its Bellevue, Washington branch office. The transfer includes deposit accounts with a total current approximate balance of $77.7 million. The transfer includes all branch premises and equipment, and the agreement provides that the buyer intends to offer employment to all associated staff. The closing of this transaction is subject to applicable regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

 

A copy of the Company’s press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

  

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding the Company’s plans, expectations, thoughts, beliefs, estimates, goals and outlook for the future that are intended to be covered by the protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and our financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “might,” “should,” “could,” “predict,” “potential,” “believe,” “expect,” “attribute,” “continue,” “will,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “projection,” “goal,” “target,” “outlook,” “aim,” “would,” “annualized” and “outlook,” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words or phrases of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and they are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, uncertainties, and other factors detailed from time to time in our public filings, including those included in the disclosures under the headings “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on October 6, 2020, subsequent periodic reports and future periodic reports, could affect future results and events, causing those results and events to differ materially from those views expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements. Should one or more of the foregoing risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those projected in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, revise, or correct any forward-looking statements based on the occurrence of future events, the receipt of new information, or otherwise.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

No.   Description
99.1   Company press release dated March 22, 2021
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File.  The cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document (contained in Exhibit 101)

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

  Sterling Bancorp, Inc.
   
  By:

/s/ Stephen Huber

    Stephen Huber
    Chief Financial Officer

 

Date: March 22, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

Sterling Announces Sale of Bellevue, Washington Branch to First Federal of Port Angeles, Washington

 

SOUTHFIELD, March 22, 2021 - Sterling Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SBT), the thrift holding company for Sterling Bank and Trust, FSB, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Port Angeles, a Washington state chartered bank to sell its Bellevue, Washington branch office, subject to applicable regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The transfer is targeted for completion in the first half of 2021. The transfer includes deposit accounts with a total current approximate balance of $77.7 million. The sale includes all branch premises and equipment, and the agreement provides that the buyer intends to offer employment to all associated staff. Sterling’s financial advisor for the branch sale was Piper Sandler & Co., and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP served as legal counsel.

 

Sterling’s CEO Thomas M. O’Brien stated, “The pending sale of our Bellevue, Washington branch represents another step in our strategy to exit ancillary businesses and focus on our core markets. We are confident that our deposit customers in the Bellevue office will be very well served by the team at First Fed. Additionally, I believe that the local presence of First Fed along with its opportunities for growth in this market will present significant career opportunities for our very talented staff. While we certainly valued the client relationships we enjoyed in the Bellevue market, in the longer term strategic view, Sterling was not going to achieve the appropriate scale there. First Fed is ideally suited to provide that platform.”

 

About Sterling Bancorp, Inc.

 

Sterling Bancorp, Inc. is a unitary thrift holding company. Its wholly owned subsidiary, Sterling Bank and Trust, FSB, has primary branch operations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, New York City and Bellevue, Washington. Sterling offers a range of loan products to the residential and commercial markets, as well as retail and business banking services. Sterling also has an operations center and a branch in Southfield, Michigan. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at http://www.sterlingbank.com.

 

 

 

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This press release contains certain statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding the Company’s plans, expectations, thoughts, beliefs, estimates, goals, and outlook for the future that are intended to be covered by the protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and our financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “might,” “should,” “could,” “predict,” “potential,” “believe,” “expect,” “attribute,” “continue,” “will,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “projection,” “goal,” “target,” “outlook,” “aim,” “would,” “annualized” and “outlook,” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words or phrases of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and they are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, uncertainties, and other factors detailed from time to time in our public filings, including those included in the disclosures under the headings “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on October 6, 2020, subsequent periodic reports and future periodic reports, could affect future results and events, causing those results and events to differ materially from those views expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements. Should one or more of the foregoing risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those projected in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, revise, or correct any forward-looking statements based on the occurrence of future events, the receipt of new information, or otherwise.

 

Contact:

Sterling Bancorp, Inc.

Stephen Huber

Chief Financial Officer

(248) 351-3428

shuber@sterlingbank.com